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IMPACT MARCH 2016

Jacqueline (left), a former sponsored friend, and her mother, Ana, in Colombia.

RELATIONSHIPS

‘THE TRUTH IS THERE ARE NO LIMITS’ She remembers how she felt as a child when that first letter from her sponsor arrived. “The truth is that my sponsor Janice’s letters filled me with joy,” said Jacqueline Castiblanco Suarez, who was sponsored through Unbound from the time she was a young girl until she began a career in social work. “The first time that I received a letter, I felt that I was important for someone.” Jacqueline is a young adult now, working with a university in Bogota, Colombia, in social work. But she still holds the letters from her sponsor in Kansas close. She saved every one of them in a scrapbook. Through their correspondence and over time, Jacqueline began to regard her sponsor as part of her family. “She saw me grow up, taught me things, and the best thing was that she

was there to celebrate my triumphs and, of course, give me words of encouragement in those times that I made mistakes,” Jacqueline said. “… And her words were always a motivation

“... my sponsor Janice’s letters filled me with joy.” to keep going, seeking to be the best, and proving that, despite the economic difficulties, life could change.” Jacqueline was raised by a single mother, and she never knew her father or his family. When her maternal grandmother died when Jacqueline was around 15, she was without grandparents and wrote Janice about it. She began to

regard Janice like a grandmother, and their bond grew stronger. While Janice’s sponsorship and a scholarship from Unbound helped Jacqueline with education and other needs, the encouragement she got can’t be quantified. Jacqueline keeps that in mind when working with her students. “I promote the fact that studying is the best option, which, in a way, is what Unbound encouraged in me, and it really allowed me to have a better life,” Jacqueline said. “Believing in ourselves is difficult. I know that from experience. So I support my students … for them to recognize their qualities, skills and abilities.” While she was still studying, Jacqueline was a social worker on the Unbound staff in Bogota. She encouraged the women in mothers groups to believe in themselves. “Because the truth is there are no limits. We create limits on ourselves,” Jacqueline

said. “I remember that for them it was very curious that someone so young like me, who came from the community, could become a social worker.” Jacqueline lives in the same neighborhood, on the outskirts of Bogota, where she grew up. She sees people she grew up with working hard for little pay to support their families. Others she knew got involved in crime and went to prison. “Those are the chains of poverty that seemed eternal,” she said. “… I thank God for allowing Unbound to enter my life, that my sponsor Janice became my grandmother, and that me being sponsored was the best opportunity of my life.” Though Jacqueline and Janice have never met in person, Jacqueline did have an opportunity to express her gratitude through a special messenger, Unbound’s coordinator in Bogota, Judith Bautista. Judith was in Kansas last year for a board meeting at Unbound headquarters and arranged to meet Janice.

“The world needs to know that miracles exist.” Judith also had her own message to share with Janice. “Looking at the miracle from my heart, I had to tell Janice face to face the power of her words to change that girl,” Judith said. People in Jacqueline’s neighborhood must deal with poverty, gangs, drugs, alcohol abuse and other social problems. That reality, Judith said, made Janice’s words of encouragement all the more important in keeping Jacqueline from damaging her life. “It empowered her to be a better person — to know that someone in another part of the world was thinking of her,” Judith said. Sponsors should know that their words can have a positive impact despite the odds against their sponsored friends. “The world needs to know that miracles exist,” Judith said. For her part, Jacqueline encourages sponsors to take that next step in forming a relationship. “I would say to the sponsors, continue delivering that message of love to your sponsored friends through the sponsorship and letters,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to write. Instead, allow yourself … to find a friend.”

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TIPS FOR WRITING LETTERS

Jacqueline keeps a binder with Janice’s letters.

Keep it simple when writing your sponsored friend, Jacqueline and Judith advised. Talk about what you do in your daily life, your hobbies, what you're passionate about, and, for new sponsors, if your friend's photo or story influenced you to sponsor, Jacqueline suggested. "You can also ask your friend what they like to do, how their days are, if they like a particular sport," she said. "From my experience, it's best to be authentic." A letter wishing another person well is a gift, Judith said. She suggested a few empowering phrases you can use to build your message to your sponsored friend. "You are capable of moving forward and succeeding." "I am grateful for you." "You are a gift to my life." "I am thinking of you." It isn't necessary to write a lot. "The simple things are the ones that get in your heart," Judith said. Jacqueline echoed that sentiment. "It's enough to receive a letter that is simple, close and loving," she said. Inspired to write? Send an eLetter today by visiting unbound.org/eLetter. Your sponsored friend would love to hear from you.

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